Method of evaporation and apparatus therefor.



N. H. HILLER.

METHOD 0F EVAPORATION AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

APPLIUATION FILED 21:12.20, 1909'.

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METHOD or EvAronA'rroN AND APPARATUS rnnrtnron.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led February 20, 1909.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910. Serial No. 479,049.

To all rwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICOLAI H. HiLLER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Carbondale, county of Lacka- Wanna, and State`of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Method ofEvaporation and Apparatus Therefor, of which the following isaspecification.

invention relates to a method of evap oration and apparatus therefor,and is particularly intended for the production of pure distilled watersuch as is desired for the making of artificial ice, but is alsoapplicable to the production of drinking water on shipboard andelsewhere, where purification o Water by distillation is desired, alsofor the distillation of other liquids.

My invention further comprises a combination of distilling apparatus andabsorption refrigeration apparatus, wherein steam formed in the aparatus is supplied to the heated coils of the generator of theabsorption apparatus, .the condensate from said coils being passed to areboiler of the evaporating apparatus, and, after reboiling, being usedfor the making of ice or for any other pur ose for which pure water isdesired.

y invention comprises distillation of water derivedv from any convenientsource, preferably a source of supply of hot water, andthe eliminationof gaseous impurities at or before 4the time of such evaporation, the

condensation of the steam so produced,

either in the coils of the generator of an absorption apparatus orelsewhere, and the reboiling of tlie'condensate by mixture with thecondensate from the evaporating apparatus,. and also comprises variousfeatures of the apparatus, all as hereinafter described and particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the production of pure water for ice making, it is found thatoftentimes mere evaporation and condensation of the water so as toroduce ordinary distilled water,

is not su cient, as such distilled water is l apt to contain variousdissolved gases which f termed re impart to the water, and to the icemade therefrom, a disagreeable taste. To obviate this it4 iscustomaryto' heat and agitata the water, after condensation, to driveofi' such dissolved such step being commonly ilin although only a ortionof the distilledg water is, in practice, re-

evaporated, the heat and agitation due to the boiling off of a portionof the water,

i machine? sutlicing to carry off the dissolved gases. The distilledWater so reboiled is, in part at least, when the refrigeration apparatusused is of the absorption ty e, the water of condensation trapped oi'rom the steam coils of the generator of the refrigeration apparatus.

It is customary to supply steam for the operation of the stills orgenerators of absorption refrigeration apparatus, by conducting the exaust from the various pumps and other auxiliaries of such apparatus tothe generator, but'as such exhaust steam is usually far from sulcient`for the purpose, it is usuallyV customary to sup lement the exhauststeam by the supply of) live steam from a boiler, with consequentconsiderably increased cost of water urilication as coinpared with whatwould e possible if all of the evaporation in the generator wereconducted by exhaust steam. Furthermore, the steam required by thegenerator is not in itself sufiicientto supply the amount of distilledwater which can be frozen by the refrigerating apparatus of which thatgenerator forms a part, Working at full ca acity. Thus: About ninetypounds of distilled water per hour is required to make one ton of ice 1ntwenty four hours. The generator of the absorption apparatus will supplyabout sixty ounds of this amount, of which sixty poun s, approximatelythirty five pounds, will be supplied by the exhaust from the pumps andother auxiliaries, the difference between this thirty five ounds and thesixty pounds being sup liedp ordinarily by live steam from the boi er,and the further difference between the ninety pounds required for t-heice and the sixty ounds furnished by the generator,'being so supplied bymeans of live steam condensed.

The accompanying drawing illustrates more or less diagrammatically andwith certain of its parts shown in section, one form vof apparatusembodying my invention, and adapted for carrying out the method of evaoratioln and purification herein de` scri d.

4In said drawings 1 desi ates a boiler or other suitable source of livesteam. Since this boiler commonly sup lies steam to 0perate theauxiliaries of t e absorption refrigeration a paratus, hereinaftermentioned, as wel as to operate various other it must be operated at apressure desire in the much hig er than the pressure tion, inan'evaporator, to produce lower pressure steam for the generator.

2 and 3 designate sections of an evaporating apparatus. These sectionsare of similar construction, each comprising an upper chamber 4 and alower chamber 5 connected by tubes 6 passing through an intermediatechamber 7. In this construction, the section. 2 of the evaporatingapparatus constitutes in the main a heater and purifier, thelowersection, 3, being the evaporator proper.

Live steam is supplied Jfrom the boiler 1 to the intermediate chamber 7of the heater 2, by means of a pipe 8, the steam and condensate fromthis chamber passing through a pipe 9 to the corresponding chamber 7 ofthe section 3 of the apparatus; the condensate from the chamber 7 ofthis lower section, 3, beingtrapped oil", by .means of a trap 10 ofsuitable construction, and passing thence through a convenient pipe 11,to the reboiler 12.

Water to be evaporated is supplied by means of a pump 13, from a hotwell 14 or other convenient source of supply,` being forced by said pumpfrom the hot well through a convenient pipe 15 to the upper chamber 4 ofthe heater 2. This pipe 15 terminates within chamber 4 of heater 2, in aspraying device 16, which creates an upwardly directed spray, theobjectbeing to facilitate separation of condensed gases from the water,so supplied to the heater. In the upper part of the heater is a dischare valve 17 through which the se arate gases are permit-ted to escape. hewater which collects in the lower part of this chamber 4 of the heater,passes thence through the tubes 6 to `the lower chamber 5 of the heaterand thence passes through a pipe y18 to the upper chamber 4 of theevaporating section 3 of the apparatus. In this evaporating section 3the water is. evaporated, thek resulting steam passing off through pipe19 to a deodorizer 20 and thence passing through a pipe 21 to thegenerator 22 of the absorption refrigeration apparatus; the steam beingcondensed in the coils of this generator as a result of impartingheat tothe aqua ammonia or other liquid contained in the generator, thecondensate from the coils of this generator being trapped o by means ofa suitable trap 23 and thence conveyed by a pipe 24 to the reboiler 12.In this reboiler some evaporation of the water of condensation occurs,owing to the fact that the water supplied from trap 10, having beencondensed under ressure, has a temperature somewhat higher than theboiling point at atmospheric pressure; and the water of condensationfrom the coils of generator 22 may also have a temperature somewhathigher than the boiling point of Water at atmosphericj pressure. Thisevaporation, commonly termed reboiling, causes the evaporation of only asmall portion of the water, but the consequent agitation anddisengagement of steam causes the separat-ion from the water ofdissolved gases which may still be contained therein.

I have indicated in connection with this apparatus an engine 25 whichmay be considered as a diagrammatic representation of one or more of theauxiliaries customarily employed in connection withrcfrigeration plants.Such auxiliary or auxiliaries may be supplied with live steam from theboiler through a pipe 26, or may be operated on steam from theevaporator, forwhich purpose'I have indicated a by-pass 27 with suitablevalves in said by-pass and in the pipe 26, so that steam may be takenfor the operation of the engine or engines 25 either from the main steamline 28 or from the pipe 19 leading from the evaporatingapparatus orfrom both. The exhaust from the auxiliary or auxiliaries is conveyed bya pipe 29 to an oil consists in principle of a chamber containing abaille 31, said chamber being further provided with a valve 32 at thetopand a valve 33 at the bottom, these valves being open more or lessduring the operation of the apparatus s o that any gas carried with thesteam may escape through valve 32 and any condensed liquid or oil mayescape through valve 33.

The heater'2 is customarily located at 'such height above the boiler 1that the boiler may be fed by gravity from the heater, notwithstandingthat the pressure in said heater is somewhat lower1 than that in theboiler. Thus, for instance, supposing `that the pressure carried in theboiler is one hundred pounds, the pressure carried in the heater 2 willbe about ninety live pounds, and that in the evaporating section 3 ofthe evaporator will be lower than that in the heater 2. With such anarrangement, the

evaporator 2, such valve controlling the flow separator 30, and thenceto the deodorizer 2 20. This deodorizer tra of steam through the steamline 37 of the pump 13, the float chamber of this valve 36 beingconnected by a. pipe 38 to the water space of the heater 2. It will benoted that in this arran ement of apparatus feed water is supplied tothe boiler 1 at very nearly the temperature of evaporation in theboiler. The hot water supplied to the hot Well 14 and so to theevaporating apparatus may be supplied from any convenient source, forinstance, from the rectifier of the refrigerating apparatus, and mayhave been heated by exchange of heat with the water from the reboiler, asuitable heat exchanger being used for the purpose. The hot waterdischarged into the upper chamber 4 of the heater 2 through the sprayingdevice 16 readily parts with contained gaseous im purities when sosprayed, and such gases are blown off, from time to time orcontinuously, through valve 17, the water passed from heater 2 to theboiler 1 and to the evaporating section 3 being free from theseimpurities, therefore. The water evaporated in section 3 passes as steamto the coils of the generator 22, and some of it may also be used tooperate the auxiliaries of the plant and then may be passed into thecoils of the generator 22 with the steam coming direct from theevaporator, a suitable valve 39 providing the necessary drop in pressureto permit this. The oil separator 30 and deodorizer 20 are provided toremove from the exhaust steam from the auxiliaries any possible taintdue to lubrication of those auxiliaries. The water condensed in thecoils of the generator 22 then passes to the reboiler 12, and theremeets the water condensed in the heating chambers of the evaporating aparatus, the water from these two sources eing purified by reboiling,and then being delivered through discharge connection 40 where'required.

The arrangement of apparatus above described has special advant-ages inplants where the auxiliaries `customarily, or at times, use nearly asmuch steam as is required to operate the generator 22z`. e., arecapable, at times, of supplying to said genera-tor nearly all theexhaust steam required to operate it. In such case, the auxiliaries maybe operated by steam from the boiler, delivered through pipe 26, suchadditional steam as may be required by t-he generator being suppliedfrom the evaporator, such supply being regulated by valve 39. Or, incase the auxiliaries take too much steam. the supply of steam throughpipe 26, direct from the boiler, may be discontinued,4 and they may besupplied instead from the evaporator, by means of the by-pass 27; and ifthe auxiliaries require more steam than the evaporator can supply. valve41 in pipe 26 may be opened sufficiently to supply the deficiency. Theapparatus arranged as 'de- Boiler pressure 100 lbs` per sq. in. Heaterpressure 95 Evaporator pressure- 75 Generator pressure--- 20 If theauxiliaries use very little steam, valves 39 and 41 will be closed, andthe auxiliaries operated on steam from the evaporator, supplied throughbypass 27. If, however, the auxiliaries take a great deal of steam, thebypass is opened wide and valve 41 is opened sufficiently to supply suchsteam as the evaporator cannot supply. Between these extremes, theapparatus may be operated by closing the valve in the bypass, operatingthe auxiliaries on live steam from pipe 26, and supplying the excesssteam required by the generator 22 from the evaporating apparatus,through valve 39.

The evaporator will customarily be proportioned so as to supply about30% of the water required, supplying it to the auxiliaries, or thegenerator, or both, in the form lof steam., Condensation in chamber 7 ofheater 2 will supply about 10% additional of the water required, andcondensation in chamber 7 of evaporating section 3 will readily supplyabout 35% more water. The auxiliaries, when operated on steam from theboiler, will readily supply the additional Water required, in the formof exhaust steam. The proportion of water supplied from these variousparts of the apparatus will vary, however, according to the way `theapparatus is o erated, a wide variation being possible.

l nat I claini is z- 1. The method of evaporation and purificationherein described, comprisin spraying heated liquid to be evaporate intoa heated chamber maintained unde'r pressure, and tliereb disengaginggaseous impurities, blowing o such impurities, conducting the liquid toa separate chamber and there evaporating it, and condensing theresulting vapor.

The method of evaporation and purification herein described, comprisingspraying heated liquid to be evaporated into a heated chamber maintainedunderpressure, and thereby disengaging gaseous impurities,

'blowing off such impurities, conducting the liquid to a separatechamber and theree'vaporating it by exchange of lieat with acondensingcurrent of similar nature, condensing the vapor formed by suchevaporation, mingling the two condensates and reboiling the same.

3. The herein described method of obtaining pure water which comprisesevaporating Water to steam by exchange of heat with heating steam ofhigher pressure derived from another source and in so doing condensingsuch heating steam and collect-ing the water of condensation soobtained, and supplying the steam so produced to heating means of asteam-heated apparatus and supplementing such steam by steam derivedfrom another source and in such apparatus abstracting heat from thesteam so supplied,

' and as a result of such abstraction of heat,

condensing such steam, and collecting the Water of condensation soobtained.

4. The herein described method of obtaining pure Water which comprisesevaporating water to steam by exchange of heatwith heating steam ofhigher pressure derived from another source and in so doing condensingsuch heating steam and collecting the Water of condensation soobtained,and supplying the steam so produced to heating means of a steam-heatedapparatus and supplementing such steam byfexhaust steam derived fromanother source and in such apparatus, abstracting, heat from the steamso supplied, and as a result of such abstraction of heat condensing suchsteam, and reboiling the Water of condensation so obtained.

5. The herein described process of obtaining pure water which comprisesheating and evaporating Water to steam by exchange of heatwith heatingsteam derived from a primary steam generator operated under higherpressure and in so doing condensing such heat-ing steam. and collectingthe Water of condensation so obtained, feeding hot .feed `Water intosuch generator from the Water so heated, supplying the steam produced bysuch exchange to heating means of a steamheated apparatus andsupplementing such steam by steam derived from another source and insuch apparatus abstract-ing heat from the steam so supplied, and as aresult of such abstraction of heat condensing such steam.

6. The herein described process of obtaining pure Water which comprisesspraying hot Water, obtained from an external source, into a heatedchamber maintained under pressure, and thereby separating from suchWater gases carried by it, causing the gases so separated to escape,heating and evaporating such Water by exchange of heat With heatingsteam derived from a primary steam generator operated under `higherpressure and collecting the Water of condensation so obtained, feedinghot gas-freed water from such chamber into said primary generator,supplying steam produced by such exchange to heating means of asteam-heated apparatus and supplementingl such steam by steam derivedfrom another source and in such apparatus abstracting heat from thesteam so supplied, and asa result of such with and condensation of saiabstraction of heat condensing such steam, and collecting the water ofcondensation so obtained.

7. The herein described process of obtaining pure Water which comprisesevaporat` ing Water to steam by exchange of heat vvith heating steam ofhigher pressure derived from another source and in so doing condensingsuch heating steam and collecting.

the Water of condensation so obtained, mingling with the steam producedby such exchange steam derived from another source, separating containedgases from such steam, and supplying such steam to heating means of asteam-heated apparatus and in such apparatus abstracting heat from thesteam so supplied and as a result of such abstraction condensing suchsteam, and collecting the Water of condensation so obtained.

8. The herein described process of obtaining pure Water Which comprisesevaporating Water to steam by exchange of heat with heating steam ofhigher 1 pressure derived from another source and 1n so doing condensingsuch heating steam and collecting the Water of condensation so obtained,mingling with the steam produced by such exchange steam derived fromanother source, separating contained gases from' such steam, supplyingsuch steam to heating means of a steam-heated apparatus and in suchapparatus abstracting heat from the steam so supplied and as a result ofsuch abstraction condensing -such steam, and reboiling` the Water ofcondensation so obtained.

9. The herein described method of obtaining pure Water and of utilizingthe heat energy of. steam under pressure, which comprises evaporatingWater under pressure and thereby producing primary high-pressure steam,evaporating another body of water under lower pressure by exchan e ofheat primary steam, thereby producing secondary lowpressure steam,collecting the condensate from the high-pressure steam, doing Work withthe secondary steam and condensing it, and collecting the condensate ofthe secondary steam.

10. The herein described method of obtaining pure Water and of utilizingthe heat energy of the steam under pressure, which comprises evaporatingwater under pressure and thereby producing primary high-pressure steam,evaporating another body of water under lower pressure b exchange ofheat with and condensation o said primary steam, thereby producingsecondary low pressure steam, collecting the condensate from thehigh-pressure steam, doing Work with the secondary steam and utilizingsuch Work in the supply of further quantities of Water for formation oflsecondary steam,

11. The herein described method of obtaining4 pure water for ice making,and of operating refrigerating apparatus, which comprises evaporatingwater under pressure and thereby producing primary high-pressure steam,evaporating another body of water under lower pressure b exchange ofheat with and condensation o said primary steam, thereby producingsecondary lowpressure steam, collecting the `condensate from the highpressure steam, doing work with the secondary steam, and then passingsuch secondary steam through the heating conduit of the generator of anabsorption refrigerating apparatus, and thereby condensing the secondarysteam and operating the sald generator, and collecting the condensate ofthe secondar steam.

.12. The herein descrlbed method of obtaming pure water and of operatingrefrigerating apparatus, which comprises evaporating water under ressureand thereby producing primary igh pressure steam, evaporating anotherbody of water under lower pressure by exchange of heat wit-h andcondensation of said primary steam, thereby producing secondarylowressure steam, collecting the condensate rom the highpressure steam,doing workvvith the secondary steam and utilizing such work in thesupply of further quantity of water for formation of the secondarysteam, and then passing such secondary steam through the heating conduitof the generator of an absorption refrigeration apparatus, and therebycondensing such secondar steam and operating said generator, ancollecting the condensate of the secondar steam.

13. The herein describe method of obtaining pure water for ice making,and of operatlngl refrigerating apparatus, which comprises evaporatingWater under pressure and thereby producing primary high-pres- .suresteam, evaporating another body 'of water under lower pressure bexchange of heat with and condensation o said primary steam, therebyproducing secondary lowpressure steam, collecting the condensate fromthe high pressure steam, doing work with the secondary steam, and thenpassing such secondary steam through the heating conduit. ofthe'generator of an absorption refrigerating apparatus, and therebycondensin the secondary steam and operatin the sald generator, andsupplying to' said heating conduit of the generator, from the primarysteam, such excess of steam over the available secondary steam, as maybe required by said generator, and collecting the condensate from thesecondary heating conduit of said generator.

14.' Distillation apparatuscomprising in combination a primaryhigh-pressure steam generator, an evaporator constituting a Secondarylow-pressure steam generator and connections therefrom to said primarygenerator, whereby the evaporator is operated by steam from t-he primarygenerator, a steam engine operated by the secondary steam from saidevaporator, means for condensing the secondary steam exhausted by saidsteam engine, and means for collecting 4the condensates of the primaryand secondary steam.

15. Distillation apparatus comprising in combination a primaryhigh-pressure steam generator, an evaporator constituting a secondarylow-pressure generator and connections therefrom to said primarygenerator,

whereby the evaporator is operated by steam from the primary generator,means operated by steam from the evaporator for supplying to saidevaporator water for conversion into secondary steam, means for conandmeans for collecting the condensates of the primary and secondary steam.

17. The combination with the generator and other steam using means, ofan absorption refrigerating apparatus, of a source of steam supply, anevaporator and connections from sald evaporator to said generator andsaid steam-using means, and from said source of steam supply to saidsteam-using means, whereby said steamusing means may be operated bysteam derived either from the evaporator or from the source of steamsupply, or both, said steam-using means having exhaust connections tothe generator. n

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

NICOLAI H. HILLER.

Witnesses l FRANK E. RAFFMAN,

H. M. MARBLE.

